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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wound — an injury
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. press — to push
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. scale — size or range
  7. swing — to play on
  8. scale — in music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. swing — in golf
  14. saw — the tool
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wax — to grow
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. press — newspapers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. swing — music
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com